Archangel

by Kathryn Le Veque

Gabriel “Gart” Forbes is the most powerful knight in the arsenal of David de Lohr, Baron Thornden, brother to the mighty Earl of Hereford. When Julian de Moyon, Baron Buckland, summons Thornden for critical support, Gart travels to Dunster Castle to meet with Buckland.

Upon arrival, he is set upon by three young boys who try to rob him, all sons of Baron Buckland. Gart discovers that their mother, the Lady Emberley de Moyon, is the sister of his long-dead best friend. Remembering the lovely young girl from the days of his youth, Gart quickly realizes she has grown into a woman of magnificent beauty. He also comes to realize that Julian is a monster who beats his wife.

At first, Gart is protective of an old friend but soon, he cannot control the emotions he is feeling for Emberley. A beaten and emotionally starved woman, Emberley cannot help her feelings for a man she has loved most of her life. Succumbing to a forbidden love, Gart and Emberley find powerful allies in Baron Thornden and the Earl of Hereford as they plot to convince Julian to divorce his wife.

Adding to the chaos is the fact that Julian has taken up in a love affair with Queen Isabella. When the queen begins to find interest in another man, Julian is furious and wants to use Emberley to make the queen jealous. Gart, however, keeps Emberley well hidden from her husband, even as the Church seeks to intervene.

Through trickery, Julian discovers where Gart has hidden his wife and traps the woman, intending to kill her for her treachery. Gart is unable to help her, listening to her screams of terror, when aid comes from the most unexpected of sources. Divine intervention comes in many forms in this deeply passionate love story.

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2 comments

Anonymous | 2015-06-10 05:38:05

I have heard much about this book, usually from websites lording fantasy books "for women". As I lazily scrolled through the list, this book caught my attention because I have read it and I must say... I hated it. There comes a point when pig-headedness and bigotry cannot be construed as strength. I cannot see how that would make for a "strong woman". Perhaps the character was too ham-handedly created. Whatever the reason, the main female lead is a pill and should I have to interact with her, I would find it very disagreeable. The main female lead and male main lead are two people I cannot imagine truly falling in love. It is too contrived, nothing natural or organic at all. Too much chauvinism on the female part. Chauvinism is unattractive in either sex.

Anonymous | 2016-01-08 06:58:01

Make sure the book you look up is actually by Sharon Shinn. There are several fantasy books titled Archangel and the link on the bestfantasybooks.com site leads to the wrong one.